Forget-Me-Not
by Rampant Id
Summary: Rather than Ruffio dying, Peter Pan dies instead; his last dying wish is for Ruffio to save his children. Ruffio keeps his word and saves Maggie from the pirates. Unfortunately, Captain Hook makes off with young Jack, and Ruffio is left with returning just the daughter home. Time passes and Maggie turns 16. Then unexpectedly, she is kidnapped by none other than - her brother?
1. Chapter 1 - Blink of an Eye

**Here is a new story that has been bouncing around in my brain for several months. It's one of those stories that refuses to leave me regardless of how much time has passed. Since this is the first time that I have chosen to write a story in first person I look forward to your take on it.**

 **Also, for some reason I was not given an option to state the pairing, so here it is: Rufio and 16 year old Maggie. Just to clarify, the time skip to when Maggie is 16 will occur by chapter 4 or 5.**

 **\- Rampant Id  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 1:**

 **"Blink of an Eye"**

I don't even remember screaming at the sight of a blade protruding from of my father's back. That was the very instant that everything in my life had changed. The happy ending I had been hoping for - counting on - was no longer possible. All I remember is the silence, and lots and lots of red. My father's clothes were soaked in it and with every second the colour spread, until it began dripping onto the deck. Someone was screaming now; The disbelief and horror in the sound shook me out of my daze. The teen with the Mohawk was holding my father in his arms now, and it was his cries that I could hear over the cheering of the pirates that surrounded me.

I never heard my father's last words; I never got to tell him how much I still loved him - even though he never really paid any real attention to me. My hands were shaking... so were my legs. My vision was blurry as I tried to blink back the tears filling my eyes and running down my face. Someone suddenly grabbed my shoulder roughly and tried to shove me back into the cabin where I was usually kept prisoner. All the pain, confusion and despair that I had been holding in finally overwhelmed me...

"Let go of me!" I yelled as I tried to pull away from the tight grip of the pirate's hand on my shoulder. Apparently my refusal to cooperate and my demands for freedom were unwelcome, since the next thing I knew my mouth was being covered by a large hand and I was being propelled so hard toward the cabin door that I nearly fell down. Nearly, because as I fell, the pirate's hand slipped a little and my sharp little teeth clamped down on the thin flesh where his thumb met his index finger.

I was released in an instant, and ignoring the hollering going on above me I ducked down and through his legs. Then I was running full tilt for the front of the ship. I don't really know why I headed in that direction, perhaps it was the furthest away from the cabin door as well as from all the fighting. However, once I was nearly there I suddenly realized that it was a confined area with tall handrails and no way to get out. Instead, I pivoted on my heel and ran for the side of the ship. As I got there I realized my immediate dilemma. A group of four pirates who had chased after me approached from all sides. Glancing quickly behind me, the only way I saw that would allow me to get further away from them was the plank. Clenching my dress in my hands to keep them from visibly shaking I slowly inched back until I felt the plank hit my heel. The instant that the pirates realized where I was heading they sprang into action. One of them made a grab for me and missed as I jumped back to get out of range. I felt the plank wobbling a bit beneath me and tried not to whimper. I really hated heights, more than anything, but as another pirate started to slowly make his way onto the plank in order to reach me I backed up even further.

"Come here little girl, you don't want to fall do you?" A scary-looking man with a large scar going down his face called out to me as he slowly approached. His gold tooth shone in the light as he attempted to smile at me in what most likely was supposed to be a reassuring way, but to me it looked like a grimace. I was so focused on trying to stay away from him that I almost slipped off the plank when my back foot only found half a plank left to stand on.

That's when the pirate made a grab for me. As I leaned back to avoid his reaching arms my foot slipped off it's precarious perch and I fell toward the water - or I would have, if not for an arm that shot out from the end of the plank and grabbed my wrist. I heard a sudden splash below me and glanced down to see that very same pirate floundering in the water several meters below my dangling bare feet. I glanced up fearfully, thinking I was going to see another horrid pirate in his place.

Instead I found myself looking into dark eyes that belonged to the teen who had been with my father.

"Give me your other hand!" He yelled down at me as his free hand strained towards me. I swung up with all my might and to my great surprise he caught my other wrist without missing a beat.

"I'm going to stand up now, so you need to make sure not to move around or we'll both fall off." He explained, and after receiving my terrified nod he slowly lifted one of his legs so that rather than kneeling his foot was planted and the knee was bent at a ninety degree angle. When he started to stand up I could see him straining with the weight of my smaller body pulling at his arms. When he stood up my knees were level with the plank itself, and as he stepped back toward the ship I was able to scramble up and find purchase. His hands on my wrists helped stabilize me, and when I finally realized that I was no longer dangling over dangerous waters I managed a watery smile.

"Thank you," I got out in a half-whisper, since my voice was still not working properly from my most recent scare.

"It's not over yet," The boy replied, nodding toward what awaited us at the other end of the plank. There stood the same pirates who had chased me to this plank originally - minus the one in the water. They watched the teen with trepidation, as if he was someone to be feared. What could a teenager possibly do that had these grown men afraid to make the first move?

"I will let go of you now. You will need to stick close to me while we get out of this mess. Okay?" The strange boy waited for my nod before he started forward.

"All right, let's do this!" With that as his battle cry the Mohawk teen pulled out a sword and started brandishing it at the pirates as he moved effortlessly across the plank. In the second it takes a person to blink he was already on them, clearing a path for me to follow without even taking a pause. I was off the plank and on the deck before I even registered what I was doing. Two pirates were already injured and crawling away, while the last one got a sword straight through the stomach - in a similar manner that my father had. The pirate slid off the sword and landed in a heap at the teen's feet. The boy turned quickly back to me and noticed my eyes glued to his bloody sword. Grimacing he turned back to the body, wiped his sword on the shirt and sheathed his weapon.

"Come on, we need to get out of here," He said as he approached with his outstretched hand held out toward me. He paused when he saw me take a step back. His dark eyes met mine as he crouched down to be eye-level with me.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. I promise that I won't hurt you, but we can't stay here. I swore to your father that I would keep you safe, and for that you need to trust me. Okay?"

I remembered seeing him fighting along-side my father against all of these pirates, and I knew that he was one of the good guys. I could feel myself slowly nodding, and I was proud when I did not flinch as his warm, much larger, hand enveloped mine.

"Good," he said with a gentle smile and turned his back to me. "Climb on, go on." He encouraged, as I stared dubiously at his leather clad back.

"I need to be able to fight, and the only way to do that is for me to have my hands free. You will need to get on and hold tight."

All the loops and bolts sticking out of his leather jacket provided it with many odd-looking handholds. After a hesitant moment I gripped the protrusions and climbed up onto his back. Slinging my arms around his neck, the safest-looking and most secure handhold of all, I gripped as tight as I could so I would not fall off.

"kid... kiddo, I can't breathe. You need to loosen your grip on my neck," I heard the teenager choke out, and a moment later I could feel my hands being slightly re-positioned so that I was now gripping the lapels of his leather coat instead. I tried to gain some purchase with my legs so that they would stop dangling annoyingly. Once I was settled I found myself thinking that I probably resemble some strange sort of monkey.

"Just in time. Here they come." I felt the teenager swiftly stand but it was impossible for me to see anything because his extremely tall collar was in the way. "Hold on tight" He called out to me and I suddenly heard his sword hissing out of it's sheath. It was probably for the best that I would not be able to see the carnage. I was not all that fond of blood.

As he fought his opponents the boy would often yell out insults, throw in a quip here or there, or simply settle for a sarcastic rejoinder. All the while I just squeezed my eyes shut and held on for dear life.


	2. Chapter 2 - Fins and Glares

**Just in case any of you missed my message on my profile:**

In regards to _Forget-Me-Not_ , now with the installment of chapter 2 it will take 1-2 more chapters before we get a time skip to where Maggie is 16. I need to lay down the foundation for the future plot and character development to make sense and be meaningful.

 **\- Rampant Id**

I dedicate this chapter to my most dedicated follower (AKA only reviewer):  
crissy145

* * *

 **Chapter 2:**  
" **Fins and Glares"**

"We're here,"

I started upon hearing a sudden voice coming from right in front of me. I had been half-dozing in a semi trance-like state as the teenager who had saved me from the pirate ship continued to run through a forest at incredible speed. It was as if he knew exactly where every shrub and rock was placed, never once tripping or pausing in his mad dash to God-knew-where.

Suddenly the forest came to an end and a large body of water lay before us. Several large outcroppings of rocks could be seen scattered around in the midst of it, in the semblance of mini islands.

Without slowing down the teenager took a running leap and landed on the nearest of the rocks, making his way to a larger one located in the centre of the water. He then got down on one knee and pointed several meters ahead to the edge of the rock we were currently standing on.

"Over there near the bottom of this rock is a ledge sticking out from the side. If you climb down and crouch you'll be able to keep yourself hidden. It stops just above the water, so you should be dry."

I scrambled down from his back and almost fell over as my legs nearly folded in on themselves. He waited for me to right myself and then turned back toward the mainland. Before he could take more than a step away from me, I desperately gripped his clothes in a tight fist.

He looked down at me with a raised eyebrow looking surprised and somewhat confused.

"You're leaving me?" I asked, my wavering voice revealing the panic that this realization brought on.

"Just for a short while, I need to deal with those who've managed to track us this far. I'll be back as soon as I take care of them. You'll be safer hiding here." Believing the matter to be settled the teenager tried to pull away, but my vice-like grip had not loosened it's hold. He sighed with impatience.

"What is it now?"

"He left us - my father. When we were caught... he was too scared to stay and help. And now he's gone forever," I couldn't keep back the sniffle that interrupted my explanation. "What if you don't come back?"

"I promise that I'll come back for you." Rather than the reply, what reassured me the most was the determined look in his eyes as he looked down at me. There was no hint of any hesitation there. It was as if he were simply stating a fact, rather than a possibility.

My fingers slowly loosened and I pulled my hand back gripping the side of my nightgown instead.

"What's your name?" I asked as he turned toward the rock that led back to the mainland.

With a quick glance over his shoulder he replied, "Rufio", and then jumped over the water separating the two rock outcroppings, back in the direction we had come from.

* * *

I approached the edge and looked down. My eyes widened when I saw just how far down the ledge actually was. This was not a distance I could easily jump down, partly because it was nearly twice my height, and partly because the ledge itself was pretty narrow. If I was not careful I would slip off the ledge and take a dunk in the water. Not only did I not want to fall into the water because it was surely cold, but also it lacked that nice clear blue colour that one tended to expect from an untouched island. Instead, for some unfathomable reason the water surrounding my large rock was pretty dark and murky looking; it was impossible to guess what hid within its depths.

Steeling my nerves I got to my knees and slowly lowered a leg, feeling around for some kind of groove in the stone to help me get a surer footing for my climb down. Thankfully my bare toes were able to feel around and find a slight dip in the stone that otherwise would have been missed. I lowered my other leg down and proceeded to search for other such grooves. The sudden sounds of swords clashing and voices shouting reached my ears, and that moment of inattention proved to be my undoing. The toes that had been gripping the dip in the stone lost their hold, and next thing I knew my feet were scrambling frantically against the smooth surface of the stone as my arms strained to hold my entire body-weight suspended over the edge.

A whimper escaped me as I felt my fingers slowly start to slip. A few pebbles rained down and plopped into the water a split second before I lost my grip and my fingers slipped off the edge. To my surprise I did not drop as far down as I thought I would. Apparently the ledge had been only about three feet below my hanging feet. However, the landing did jar me unpleasantly, and my left foot dipped into the freezing, dark water. I immediately pulled it out, but unfortunately the shivering set in instantly. It felt as if pure ice was spreading from my foot up my leg. I looked down, fearfull at what I would find, but other than slightly bluer skin I could not see anything unusual. I crouched down to keep out of sight as I had been told, and tried to warm my foot with what body heat I still had left.

Suddenly, I felt a shiver creep down my spine. _Something_ was watching me... where precisely that menacing aura was coming from I did not know, but it was most definitely coming from somewhere in the water.

A distance away light caught on an object in the water... some kind of fin? As suddenly as it had appeared it was gone once more, only to reappear several meters closer to where I huddled on the ledge. Could it be that these waters were full of sharks? That thought filled me with such terror that made it difficult to breathe.

Movement beneath the surface caused some water to slosh over the edge of my narrow perch and onto my bare toes, soaking the parts of the nightgown that lay closest to the edge.

Unexpectedly, the colour of the water right in front of me changed. Without being told I knew that something was waiting for me there, just below the surface. Despite the terror that gripped my throat, I still found myself kneeling at the edge and leaning hesitantly forward to look into the water.

There, glaring straight up at me, I was shocked to see bright green eyes belonging to a very pale face, framed by floating dark blond hair.

Before I could react in any way the face surfaced, water streaming down the head in rivulets. Hair slicked back, the older girl's eyes seemed to almost burn with their intensity of emotion as they pierced my own startled gaze.

"You have some nerve! How _dare_ you come here to our home to spy for Hook, despite the deal we made?" She spat out accusingly.

"I didn't - I'm not with Hook. I ran away from him!" I exclaimed, too surprised to do much more than try to explain.

A green scaled tail slapped the water angrily, and I felt my eyes widening in shock as I realized that the tail was actually a part of the girl. Unfortunately, the slap on the water's surface was powerful enough to cause a fairly large wave to hit the edge of the ledge soaking both of my legs and arms with frigid water. Caught off guard I let out a surprised yelp and fell back, managing to catch myself with my hands before my head could hit the solid rock at my back.

"Don't try to spew your lies pirate, there are more of your kind running around here. I can hear their noisy fighting coming from the forest." The mermaid pointed angrily from the direction that I had come with Rufio.

I held a hand up before me as if to ward her off. "Yes, _they_ are pirates, but _I'm_ just a little girl. I'm trying to get away from them!"

The mermaid, because that's what she must have been, scoffed in response.

"You look all the same to me; some shorter, some taller - but always causing trouble," Her eyes narrowed as she finished ominously with, "Neverland would be better off without your kind."

Without warning something pale shot out of the water and clamped around my ankle in a cold vice-like grip. I only managed to register that her cold smooth hand had wrapped around my ankle before I felt her firmly yank me off balance and toward the water. Crying out in fear I scrabbled for purchase on the smooth stone, to no avail. Panic had taken me over completely. Somehow I knew that if I fell into that water I would not be coming back out. My free leg flailed about and luckily managed to strike the mermaid in the face, causing her to loosen the grip she had around my ankle enough, so that I was able to scoot more securely back onto the stone ledge.

With a growl of rage the mermaid made another wild grab at my unprotected legs. Just as she made to yank me back toward the water I felt someone grab my flailing arm and try to pull me up. For a second I felt like a rope from a very competitive tug-of-war, being pulled in two completely opposite directions. I glanced up to see Rufio gripping my wrist tightly, and glaring down at the equally determined mermaid.

"Let go of her, this girl is under my protection!" Rufio shouted down at my green-eyed adversary.

Ignoring him, perhaps out of spite, she did not let up. Rufio's eyes narrowed in response.

"Don't make me use my sword on you..." he threatened.

"You would dare harm one of Neverland's own and betray all that you and your lost boys stand for?" She hissed in rage and disbelief.

"I made Pan a promise to protect her, and _nothing_ will make me break that vow," his tone brooked no argument.

For a brief moment the mermaid held his determined gaze, and then reluctantly she let go of my foot and sullenly slipped back into the water, disappearing into its murky depths.

* * *

By the time that Rufio pulled me up, my teeth were chattering so loudly together that anything I tried to say came out sounding unintelligible.

"Don't try to speak, you're going to bite your tongue," he reprimanded as he pulled off his black coat and wrapped me in it. The coat enveloped me so completely that only my head stuck out. The bones and claws that had been adorning it were jabbing into me, but I was too tired to care. At least it was warm.

By now the shock of what had happened was setting in, from seeing my father killed, to being chased by pirates, and finally nearly being drowned – by a mermaid no less. I didn't like this place. It was dangerous - full of cruelty and violence. I wanted to wake up from this nightmare and find myself back in my own bed. I wanted to go home.

* * *

 _That's it for chapter two. Tell me what you guys think so far._

Reviews encourage me to update sooner. This is no secret. Ask any of the writers on here.

 **\- Rampant Id**


	3. Chapter 3 - A Rude Awakening

_I dedicate this chapter to Luma and crissy145. Thanks for your support._

After a long break from writing I'm finally back. Life makes it tough to update sometimes — juggling busy work, a family wedding and two hospital scares can take up quite a bit of a person's life.

Anyway, without further ado here is the next chapter.

\- **Rampant Id**

 **Chapter 3:**

 **"A Rude Awakening"**

The first thing I became aware of was a strange softness under my palms. Flexing my fingers I felt individual strands of what felt like fur sliding past my hand. Opening my eyes hesitantly I quickly shut them against the piercing light that shone down on my unsuspecting face. The light was quickly blocked by someone's shadowy form. That's when I began to hear the whispers.

"He looks funny!" This was followed by a giggle and some shushing sounds.

"Moron, she's a girl. That's how girls are supposed to look." Came a scoff from somewhere off to my left.

"Quiet down, you'll wake her up," a familiar voice spoke up, the sound fading as it's owner moved further away. The last thing I remembered hearing was a distant sounding "where did you find her?" Then everything faded away and I was enveloped by sleep once more.

 **(Scene 2)**

It was the savory smell of food that finally woke me up. I don't really remember getting up, but I do recollect that the dirt floor was cold against my bare feet. Following the delicious scent of some kind of stew I found myself standing right outside the makeshift door leading out from what I could now tell had been a gigantic tree. As I glanced back at the bark of the tree-room now directly behind me, I suddenly shivered in the chilly evening breeze that stirred my thin nightgown. It was with shock that I realized how inappropriately I was dressed for galavanting around. I had been kidnapped right out of my bed and have been running around a pirate ship, and then a lagoon, all the while barely dressed in anything at all.

As the sound of laughter came from a table not too far away I could make out some shapes crowding around, their silhouettes visible before the flames of a raging bonfire. Realizing that I was most likely illuminated by those same flames I suddenly felt my face heat up. _What would mother say?_ I thought in shame, and then instantly felt myself tearing up with the thoughts of my poor mother, waiting desperately for our return.

"Hey, what's wrong?" A familiar voice asked right next to me. I jumped in surprise, spinning around to stare down at Ruffio's shape sitting on a log, and leaning his back against the back of the tree house. I pinched the fabric of my nightgown between my thumb and forefinger and pointed at it with my other hand saying, "I can't wear this outside, it's a nightgown, but I don't have any normal clothes." Then wiping my tears off my face with a fist I added miserably, "and I'm cold".

Ruffio slapped himself on the forehead, as if to say _I'm so dumb_ , stood up and beckoned me back into the room. Once inside, he made his way over to where several chests were resting next to roughly a dozen cots scattered around the room.

Now that I took a moment to look around, I wondered how it was possible for such a large space to exist within one single tree. Maybe it was magic. After all, I had seen my father fly, and then I was nearly drowned by an actual mermaid. This was nowhere near as unimaginable as those two former situations.

"Here," he said, passing me what I later learned was a pair of deerskin pants along with a nondescript brown tunic — both of which were too small to belong to him, but most likely would fit me fairly well.

"Thanks, but, um, shouldn't we ask the owner of these clothes if it's ok for me to wear them?" I asked, reaching for them hesitantly.

"They won't mind. The lost boys pretty much share everything here." Ruffio replied without giving her a second glance.

"I'll be waiting outside. When you're done I'll introduce you to the rest of the boys." With that he opened the door and stepped out.

 **(Scene 3)**

Once I finished changing I followed Rufio to the group meal, from where noisy yelling and laughter could be heard. As we got closer I began to hear and see what was really going on at mealtime. Insults were being flung back and forth, as was the food, and dodging the variously shaped airborne projectiles seemed to be bordering on the impossible. Boys of every shape and size were covered in everything from vegetable soup all the way to flourescent ice cream. I stopped a few good meters away from the spectacle for fear of getting accosted by flying meatballs. Not noticing me pause, Rufio continued on to the tables, ducking carrot missiles and flying peas as if it were second nature. The boys called out to him as he sat down and helped himself to one of the dishes that sat before him.

There were so many boys here and they were all so loud. I didn't really feel very confortable joining this rambunctious group... First it had been all those scary pirate men, then a killer mermaid, and now it was an army of noisy, rude sounding boys. I felt so very alone, desperately wishing for my mother's arms to enfold me in a protective, comforting hug.

As if he suddenly noticed that I was missing Rufio started glancing around. When he looked back and saw me, he waved me over to the table that he sat at. Confusion filled his face upon receiving my vehement head shake, and his loud voice called out:

"Maggie, don't you want to eat something?"

All of a sudden the boys at the tables instantly went quiet and all looked toward me. I could feel my face heating up from all the unwanted attention and shook my head once again. That was the exact moment that my stomach decided to make a liar out of me as it suddenly started grumbling furiously. Laughing along with some of the boys Ruffio got up and approached me once more, then he steered me toward the free spot next to him.

I sat down stiffly at the main table staring at my plate uncomfortably. The meal started up again. The boys were now dodging green veggies and pudding, rather than actually eating them. I thought about my own family meals and knew that there was no way this kind of behaviour would have been allowed. My mother would have scolded these boys soundly, and then forced them to clean up the mess that they made. However, my mother wasn't here. Neither was my brother, nor my father... whom I would never get the chance to see alive again. As I thought that my eyes filled up with tears. I felt somebody awkwardly patting me on the back, but I didn't look up to see who it was.

A boy down the table cleared his throat uncomfortably and felt it was time to ask a neutral question (at least that had most likely been the initial intent).

"So, uh, Peter Pan — I mean your dad — said that he also had a son. Was that your brother standing on the ship dressed up like Captain Hook?"

Instead of having the intended effect of distracting me from my grief, my sobs increased in volume — both in amount as well as in loudness.

"Ow!" That same voice yelped, following the sound of a resounding smack.

"What did I do?"

"Shut up you idiot, you're just making things worse." Came a sharp whisper.

I felt a hand suddenly cover one of mine and looked tearfully up at the familiar older teen's face.

"I'll get your brother back. I swore to your father that I'll save you both; I always keep my word." Ruffio stated confidently.

I offered a watery smile in thanks and opened my mouth to reply. However, I never got the chance.

A bright glow filled the air coming from the forest some distance away. As it got closer and closer it became clear that the glow was coming from individual fairies who were grouped together, holding vines that held something suspended about two feet off the ground. As the fairies approached the clearing where the group of lost boys sat staring, the shape that the fairies had carried all the way here became visible.

I gasped and stumbled out of my chair, nearly tripping over it. The rest of the lost boys followed suit, but at a slower pace. Many of them lowering their heads reverently.

 ** _To be continued..._**

 _Reviews keep me going, since they show me that someone cares about the story._


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